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In Part I, I pleaded with you to do more than be angry about human trafficking, give your spare change to an organization, then forget about it until you hear another statistic.

Did you forget already?

If you haven’t read Part I, please do. Following is a list of ideas that you can do to get involved. Some of them take time and effort. But what could be more important than valuing human life?

1. Keep your eyes open – Do you see the people on the side of the highway, holding signs that ask for change? What else do they do to get money? Do you see that advertisement for erotic massage? Are those people forced to do what they do? Do you see that drug addict in the street? How did he/she get the money to get those drugs? Do you see that girl with dirty hair in your youth group who is having family problems? Who will she run to when she feels she has nowhere else to turn? Open your eyes! Take note of what is going on around you! Call the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 1(888)3737-888, or the U.S. Department of Justice Trafficking in Persons Complaint Line at 1(888)428-7581, if you suspect someone is in a trafficking situation.

What is Sox Place doing? Homeless youth are some of the most at-risk for domestic human trafficking. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, “approximately 30% of homeless youth are lured into prostitution within the first 48 hours of being on the street.” Since Sox Place works directly with these youth, we work hard to build relationships of trust so that we can see when something is wrong and so that they feel they can talk to us about what they are going through. We are also beginning to work with Prax(us), who works directly with domestic human trafficking cases in the Denver area. We feel their programs go about helping these youth in the right way.

2. Give when and where you can – There are plenty of organizations out there. Choose one or two, invest in those, and keep up with what they are doing. You may not be able to give much. You may not even think you can give right now, but try to give something. Give up going out to eat once a week or your daily latte or a weekend movie, and give what you save to your favorite organization. Give intentionally! Here are some organizations to get you started:

iEmpathize – Focuses on unique advocacy techniques and events; located in Boulder, CO.

What is Sox Place doing? When you give to Sox Place, your donation helps to serve those at-risk for human trafficking. We, in return, make sure those who have been victimized receive the help they need.

3. Pray – Take the time once a week to focus your prayers on human trafficking. Pray not only for the victims but also for organizations, exploiters/traffickers (pray for your enemies), the culture and society that promotes the sex industry, etc. You can find prayer guides on various websites. The Salvation Army has a good one.

What is Sox Place doing? Most of the staff take one day a week to fast and pray. We pray for many things. One focus is the kids that come into Sox Place, who are one of the most at-risk groups for human trafficking.

4. Educate – Educate yourself on the issue of human trafficking. Watch videos, read books and articles, and research on your own. Keep up to date with the most current news and laws. Most of the websites listed under the “give” section have a page on educating yourself, but perhaps the most comprehensive is Project Rescue’s.

What is Sox Place doing? Sox Places hosts human trafficking seminars to educate the staff and community. We are also constantly doing research, reading articles, and watching the news.

5. Advocate – By now, you know the issue and you are moved to doing something. Passionately sharing your knowledge and what to do about it is one of the most important things. Have your church or business host a human trafficking seminar. If you live in the Denver area, Prax(us) has an amazing seminar that will be designed specifically for your organization. If you are not able to have your business/ church host a seminar, you can find where one will be and invite as many people as possible. Or you can host an advocacy night in your home. This could include a video (GEMS has a documentary “Very Young Girls” with questions for a group setting); a book study or article reading; or you can get others involved and have a theme, such as art or prayer.

What is Sox Place Doing? Sox Place has hosted human trafficking seminars and plans to host more throughout the community. When we find frightening statistics or horrific facts, we share them with each other and with our friends and family.

6. Volunteer – you may not have a center for trafficking victims near you, or, if you do, they may be extremely sensitive to who helps out there, but what about places who address problems behind human trafficking? Commit to one day a week or month to volunteer at a youth drop-in center like Sox Place, a homeless shelter, an advocacy group, or a women’s shelter.

What is Sox Place Doing? If you are interested in volunteering or bringing a group to Sox Place, you can find information under the “Get Involved” tab on our website.

Now that you know the issue and know what you can do, what are you going to do?